Throughout the holiday season, it’s common to see Salvation Army volunteers standing in the cold for hours next to a red kettle, ringing a bell that reminds everyone about the Christmas spirit of giving to help others.

So perhaps it is fitting that a Salvation Army employee, who works every day to help others, is being helped by the $1.5 billion Truliant Federal Credit Union in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Patricia Shue was working at the Salvation Army in High Point, N.C., on Nov. 26 when she got word that she won a “Mortgage for a Year” contest sponsored by Truliant FCU and WGHP-TV 8, a local news station. Truliant FCU will pay Shue’s rental payments for a year.

"You don't know how much this is needed,” Shue told WGHP-TV 8 with tears in her eyes. “This assistance from Truliant will help my family and me in so many ways. I hope to save these monthly rental fees to be able to purchase a home within the next year as well as help my granddaughter attend college.”

Truliant FCU sponsors the “Mortgage for a Year” contest because it aligns with the credit union’s mission of improving people’s financial lives.

“We know that owning your own home is one of the greatest joys for any person, but we also understand how monthly mortgage or rent payments can sometimes become a demanding financial responsibility,” said Truliant President/CEO Marcus Schaefer.

“We are happy to alleviate this responsibility for Patricia for the year, and hope that she will use the extra money to continue to build a strong financial foundation for herself and her family,” Schaefer said.